Foreign trade expert

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

57637

A foriegn trade expert guides businesses involved in export and import of goods with the different trade policies, conducts research on international markets and advices companies on global marketing strategies.

International trade practitioners need to be knowledgeable about the global trade environment, factors affecting it, rules and regulations and a host of practical issues related to international trade. They need to stay updated on the latest market dynamics, policies and practices

The job of a foreign trade expert is not limited to any specific segment such as marketing, documentation, shipping and packaging, or functions-related export management, pricing, sourcing, costing, export market research, distribution, freight marketing, export finance, documentation, and foreign exchange... It is a combination of all of the above and much more

With the opening up of the market, global trade barriers have been knocked down. A truly global marketplace has become a reality in both the physical and virtual realm. This has created immense opportunities in international trade. An expert has to be outwardly focused and open to adopting various strategies for survival and growth of his or her organisation

Clock work

There are no fixed timings because a foreign trade expert might have to work according to various time zones. However, there are few things that a foreign trade professional would typically do on a day-to-day basis

5.30 pm: Take stock of the day’s work and various negotiations that are taking place in various industries; plan for the next day

6 pm: Leave for home

The payoff

Trainee: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh per annum

Executive: Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per annum

Jr Manager: Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh per annum

Manager: Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh per annum

Skills

Awareness of practical issues, quantitative techniques

Good domain knowledge

Knowledge of trade policy issues

Customer-centric approach

Good communication skills

Pros & cons

“Trade is a dynamic concept, and foreign trade has been around since ages. And to track it, get involved in it, and see multinational level negotiations is a fascinating proposition. Opportunities are unlimited and anybody who is a trained professional does not have to hunt for the job. Another good thing is that you are invovled in policy making. The only negative point I can think of is a hypothetical situation where the volume of foreign trade goes down and job demand comes down drastically,” says Manab Majumdar of FICCI